Best Friends
by CCangel
Summary: Tinkerbell goes to Regina's house to comfort her after Marian comes back. Set after 3x22. One shot.


Best Friends

Regina was curled up in bed shutting out the world. She ignored Snow and Henry's calls. She just wanted to cry her eyes out and spend her days alone in peace. She felt like an idiot for opening herself up to love only for it to be taken from her. A person can only take so much heartbreak before they realize that romance wasn't in the cards for them.

She heard a loud banging at her front door ten minutes but ignored it. It went on for another five minutes. Regina groaned as she forced herself out of bed. She quickly went downstairs and snatched the door open. Tinkerbell was standing on the other side with a concerned expression.

"Tinkerbell, what are you doing here?" Regina questioned.

"I came to check on you," she answered. "And don't say that you are fine. Judging from your red eyes you've been crying for over an hour. Now let me in."

Regina bristled at her friend. Her eyes hardened but Tinkerbell wasn't having any of it. Her eyes reflected the same hard gaze daring Regina to rebuff her help.

"Fine. Come in," Regina said. She closed the door behind her and that's when she noticed the bags in Tinkerbell's hands.

"What's in the bag?" Regina asked.

"This," Tinkerbell said holding it up. "A bunch of movies. I think Snow referred to them as chick flicks. I thought we could just watch these and talk."

Regina rolled her eyes. "You went to Snow for advice."

"She's just as concerned about you as I am. She would be over here too but with the baby and all…"

Regina waved her hand. "I got it. Besides, I'm not mad at Snow. I'm mad at the Swan girl for ruining my life. She is just like her mother," she said lowering her voice an octave.

Tinkerbell sighed. "From what I saw at the diner Emma is sorry."

Regina snarled. "I'm sure she is. She has the pirate to keep her company. And who's side are you on anyway?"

"Yours Regina," she said. She grabbed Regina's hand and dragged her into the living room. They sat on the couch and Tinkerbell waited for Regina to say something.

Regina rubbed her forehead. "What do you want me to say?"

"Say anything," Tinkerbell answered.

"Your pixie dust is stupid for one," she joked. Tinkerbell snorted. Regina grew serious. "I have to be the most unlucky person in the world. I guess I deserve it. Look at me…I'm the Evil Queen. I have taken and destroyed so many lives without regard. I am selfish. The one good thing I had was taken away my mother and now I have no one."

"You have Henry," Tinkerbell said.

"Even he's not completely mine anymore," Regina said softly. "I can't have what I want. That seems to be the story of my life."

"You have to keep faith Regina. You are destined to be together," Tinkerbell reassured.

Regina scoffed. "How can you keep saying that? I mean Robin is going to choose Marian. I don't blame him. She's the love of his life and the mother of his child. He's not going to dump her for me. Honestly, I would be surprised if he did. He's an honorable man who would die for his family. A family that doesn't include me. It never will. As much as it hurts, I have to live with it. Henry is the only living relative I have left."

Tinkerbell cocked her head to the side. "Wait, what happened to Zelena?"

Regina leaned back against the couch. "She killed herself even after I offered her a second chance."

Tinkerbell was about to offer an apology but Regina interrupted. "It's not like we were close but part of me, a deep part of me, felt I could have a sisterly bond. Anyway, she's not coming back."

"I am sorry for your loss Regina but the good thing is that you have me," she said proudly. Regina chuckled.

"So we can gossip about boys or you can watch me cry over one," she said.

"And we can watch these movies all day," Tinkerbell responded. "Come on, you know you want to."

Regina held out her hand and Tinkerbell passed the bag over to her. "The Notebook. Snow would have this movie," she mumbled.

She put the movie into the dvd player. She glanced back to see Tinkerbell mesmerized by what she was doing. "You'll get used to the technology eventually. Oh wait, we can't watch this without eating ice cream."

Regina came back with two huge bowl of chocolate ice cream. "Don't tell anyone about this. I have a reputation to uphold after all."

Tinkerbell grinned. "I wouldn't dare."

They both ended up crying by the end of the movie. Somehow Regina found herself comforting Tinkerbell. "Tink…you okay?"

"Yes," she said in a teary voice. Regina laughed a little.

"Here I thought you were trying to comfort me," Regina said.

"I am," she pouted. "I need a moment though," Regina laughed harder. Tinkerbell glared at her but smiled.

"You're laughing. That's good," she said.

"It's better than crying right now," Regina countered. "Thanks for coming over and keeping me company."

"Are you sure there's nothing else I can do? Like yell at Robin or at least wound him some kind of way," Tinkerbell said.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "What would you do if I said yes?"

"Use fairy dust and cause him serious pain," Tinkerbell said.

"I appreciate the thought but no," Regina said. Tinkerbell shrugged her shoulders.

"Ok...but if you ever change your mind you know where to find me," Tinkerbell stated.

**A week later…**

Robin entered Granny's diner hoping to catch a glimpse of Regina. She had been avoiding him since Marian came back. He couldn't blame her but he needed to talk to her.

He spotted Tinkerbell reading her menu in a booth at the far end of the diner. He approached her and called her name. Her head snapped up at hearing his accent. He smiled but she didn't reciprocate it.

"Robin," she said coldly.

"May I sit?" he asked undeterred.

"Suit yourself," she said. He sat down and Tinkerbell went back to reading her menu ignoring him. A minute went by.

"You're not going to make this easy, are you?"

She put down the menu. "No."

"Tink, this is a delicate situation. What am I supposed to do?"

"Tinkerbell. Only my friends can call me Tink," she started to say. "And I know this is a delicate situation. So does Regina."

His eyes softened. "How is she?"

"How do you think she is? She is devastated. She opened her heart to you and now she has lost her love again."

Robin shook his head. "That's not true. I care deeply for Regina. It's just that it's Marian and I have to-

"Regina knows that you have to make the right choice. She doesn't blame you for choosing Marian. If Daniel came back, she would probably do the same thing. Just give her time to sort this out."

"I want to see her," Robin said. "If I can just talk to her-

"And say what? That you will choose her over Marian. Don't say it if you don't think you can. I'm not letting you give Regina false hope to ease your conscience," Tinkerbell argued.

"That's not fair," Robin said.

"Exactly. None of it is. As much as I like you and I think you and Regina are meant to be…Regina is my best friend and I have to protect her."

"Tinkerbell, that's all I want to do. Protect everyone involved."

She sighed. "You can't do it without shattering hearts. Nobody is really a winner here."

They were interrupted when Ruby came over to take her order. Tinkerbell gave her attention to Robin again. "My advice is to think long and hard about who and what you want."

Robin nodded his head and soon left Tinkerbell sitting in the both. Fifteen minutes later Regina walked in looking for her friend. She smiled when she spotted her.

"Hey Tink," she greeted.

"Hey," she replied. Regina sat down. "How was your morning?"

"Um, fine." She paused for a beat. "Robin was just here. He asked about you. He wants to talk to you."

Regina's face fell a bit. "It's-I'm not ready."

"Then don't but eventually you will have to," she replied.

Regina bit her lip. "How is he?"

"Conflicted and confused," Tinkerbell answered. She saw the half grin forming on Regina's face.

"Satisfied that he is miserable," she guessed.

"Not really…a little. I don't know anymore. I miss him." Regina rubbed her forehead. "I sound like a teenager."

Tinkerbell chuckled and Regina snapped her head up at the sound. "It's not funny."

"Oh I know. I gave him a piece of my mind which probably added to his guilt."

"You didn't use fairy dust on him, did you?" she questioned arching an eyebrow.

"Relax. I said I wouldn't so I'm not. The offer still stands however," she explained.

"Thanks again. You're the only one I can go to with this," Regina said.

"That's what best friends are for," Tinkerbell said.


End file.
